Lucky Man

Born in London just too late to join in the Second World War, and growing up in a generation that would enjoy many decades of relative peace and prosperity, David Bouchier has always considered himselfa lucky man. He has enjoyed a rich and varied life in journalism, bookselling, college teaching, and broadcasting, without ever being spoiled by wealth and success.

An unreliable memory discouraged David from embarking on a memoir, until he realized that he had written one already in the form of more than a thousand personal essays. This book is a selection of those essays arranged by themes: learning, teaching, reading, writing, work, and travel. It is an engaging life seen obliquely through the prism of the humorous speculations, commentaries, and passing observations that have been accumulating like radon gas in his basement all these years.

Candid, lighthearted, and often humorous, this collection of essays serves as the story of a life told in bite-sized morsels-which readers can feel free to flip through on a whim in whatever order they may please.